


Who We Are By The Waves of Time

by Twilight_Shadow_Songs



Series: Sweet Sweet Oblivion [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman Beyond, DCU, Supergirl (TV 2015), Superman - All Media Types, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Rape, Multi, My AU my rules, Soft Ending, Time Travel, fast and loose with canon events, mentions of child abuse, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:07:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25045126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twilight_Shadow_Songs/pseuds/Twilight_Shadow_Songs
Summary: Orm is not a fool, and he is not weak. But time travel is tempting, even when he loves what he has.He’s happy, really happy and content in his adult life for the very first time. But...Though maybe, he doesn’t have to be a villain to get what he wants this time. And maybe time is more fluid than people are telling him.*this is after the events of the first two parts of the series and if you don’t read them you will be very, very confused*
Relationships: Jinx/Bart Allen, Orm Marius/Barry Quinzel, Orm Marius/Cisco Ramon, Orm Marius/Cisco Ramon/Barry Quinzel, Terry McGinnis/Ghoul, Various Others - Relationship
Series: Sweet Sweet Oblivion [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1646461
Comments: 13
Kudos: 1





	1. Resonant and Narwhals

Orm woke up slowly, floating upward from a dark prison in the ocean into a bed on the surface with two men who had more love to give than they seemed to know what to do with. As usual, it took a few seconds to know he was safe. But the sun drifted through the slats in a window covering, and the bed was warm, and there were covers around his waist. He felt Barry’s forehead between his shoulder blades, and Cisco’s hand was on his chest. 

While it wasn’t unusual for Orm to end up in their bed, driven by nightmares and knowing there was comfort without judgment with two people who had freely given their trust despite his reputation, this particular morning  _ was _ unusual. 

He was now, officially technically, with both of them. Also the amount of physical contact was new and for once not overwhelming, but he had a feeling it was more related to the fact he knew, trusted, and cared for both of them. 

Neither of them would hit him, for instance. Neither had they ever shamed a weakness, simply giving him-or each other and others- tools to help navigate or overcome it. Letting him have space when he needed it, but pushing him when he started actively avoiding problems. Holding him accountable but not making him feel worthless. 

Still, he stayed very still, half convinced he was still dreaming, half convinced maybe it was a misunderstanding and when they woke up he’d still be single and still be wishing he could be with them. 

Orm held his breath when one of the hyenas-he was fairly sure it was Siobhan- barked authoritatively from the door and Barry and Cisco groaned as they woke up.

Cisco opened his eyes, meeting Orm’s, and smiled. “Mornin.” The hand wasn’t removed from his chest, and Orm hesitantly ran a hand through Cisco’s hair, testing the limits. Cisco laughed and shifted closer towards him. 

“How are you feeling?” Cisco asked, and Orm closed his eyes for a moment. 

“..Happy…” He started, and grimaced. “Panicking.”

Cisco nodded. “It’s a big step. C’mon, let’s get you some water and let Barry sleep a bit.”

Orm sat up, taking a few deep breaths to circumvent the dizziness before he got out of the bed, glancing at Barry still sleeping. Usually Barry was first up, but right now he was obstinately attempting to sleep in. 

He felt a glimmer of guilt. Part of Barry’s exhaustion had been his fault. 

“Siobhan-” He said, and she looked at him from where she’d been stalking the blanket.

Cisco looked over. “Hey, could you let him sleep? He hasn’t been this exhausted since Creeper got helped.” Siobhan sat on her haunches, head tilted as she pondered the pros and cons of letting Barry sleep. Cisco pointed at her. 

“I can and will take away your T-bone steaks. The vet told us to stop giving you bones in meat anyway since you keep choking.” She reacted with horror, and then barked at Cisco before padding out of the room in an angry huff. Cisco snorted fondly, and Orm felt a bit overwhelmed again. He sat down on the floor. 

Cisco sat a few feet away.

“Are you  _ sure _ you’re okay? Orm, you’re allowed to change-”

“I just need to get used to it.” Orm said, more shortly than he meant to. He shook his head and tried to regroup. “You two have been together for a  _ while.  _ Whether or not you think that’s a big deal, and I’m more than happy you’re letting me-it’s going to take some time to-”

“At this point, we’re following your lead.” Cisco said gently as Orm began really panicking. “I can completely see how it would be intimidating entering an established relationship. But we don’t want to or mean to scare you.” 

“I am not intimidated!” Orm burst out, defensive. Showing weakness, or intimidation, was...not wise. His entire life if he did, he could pay for it dearly. But this wasn’t the ocean. Barry and Cisco weren’t his father or Nereus. There wasn’t going to be pain associated with admitting anything. If anything, perhaps being honest would help.

“Maybe..a bit.” he grit out in admission. 

“Can you stand a hug?”

“...not right now.”

“Mkay.”

They sat in silence, and Orm began getting himself together, piece by piece. Cisco just being there helped. When he could take breaths without feeling like he was drowning on dry land, Cisco got up. 

“Why don’t you sit with Barry and I’ll bring you water?”

He nodded, quietly grateful. 

When Cisco left, Orm crawled back onto the bed, and touched Barry’s shoulder. There was a flower there, covering up a bullet wound. 

Orm often found humans similar to Atlanteans, though also different. But here, mentally he compared Barry, who used tattoos to make bad memories beautiful, and Arthur, who used tattoos to show his heritage, and found that any Atlantean could be placed under either motivation to ink their skin.

“Mm, that was the first tattoo.” Barry said sleepily, startling Orm. “Honestly shoulda seen it coming. Also should have been an indication of what was gonna keep happening.”

“Have you ever considered getting tattoos for just good things?” 

“Sometimes.” Barry sat up a little, wincing. “Sometimes I almost do. But then I don’t. If that area is scarred, it’ll ruin it. And that’s the last thing I want to see, a tarnished memory.” He must have seen something on Orm’s face because he offered a smile, and his wrist with a tattoo of a narwhal, freely offered for Orm to touch.

“I’ll let you in on a secret, Orm. The scars are covered by tattoos, but each tattoo represents a good memory. Something worthy of offsetting a bad memory. These scars came from when I was in Belle Reve, sure. But one of the tattoos happened maybe a year ago.” 

“You consider me a narwhal?” He could almost get offended by that, if he really wanted to. Barry snorted. 

“Well, you caught onto it pretty quick. Yes and no. No because it’s not because you’re Atlantean and lived in the ocean. Humans have never seen so much of the ocean. We don’t know that much, and even if we have stories about them, it’s hard to study Narwhals.  They’re mysterious, forces of nature, pieces of our mythologies and therefore unknowable. Real and true things that are beautiful but we don’t know them well. Guardians of the secrets of the universe. You remind me a little of that mythology, that’s all.” 

“That’s very well thought out” Orm admitted as he held the wrist in careful fingers, examining and touching the narwhal on Barry’s inner wrist. Lightly, lightly. “I have to disagree with half of your mythology, but I suppose from that standpoint...yes. I can see it.” 

“I’m finding much of our ideas are skewed in comparison to facts. Jason’s writing a paper on how our King Arthur legends may have been stories of your king Atlan that were distorted.” That would be ironic.

“Atlan was also..half human, if stories were true. He sunk Atlantis after his brother Orin murdered his family…over blood purity.” Orm grimaced as Barry winced. “Did this happen with your king Arthur?” ironies on top of ironies.

“...sort of. But it’s his son/nephew who killed him. Though older stories name him as the killer of his other children. The whole thing is preceded with the warning he will inherit his fathers madness, so I suppose there’s that. Honestly that story sounds like Romulus and Remus, the mythic creators of Rome. We can get you some books on our myths. Let you really explore that, if you want.” A small hesitation. 

“I’m gonna guess you saw yourself as Orin, didn’t you?” Barry gently placed his hand over Orm’s to keep it on his tattoo of the narwhal.

“Orm is a version of Orin, after all.” 

“Orm Marius. You don’t have to keep Orm if you don’t want. Marius is also a human name.” 

Barry’s offer was reasonable, and tempting. He’d think about it. 

“Can I see the one for Cisco?” He asked instead of answering. Barry let the topic go and showed his other wrist. A circling bracelet of musical notes, covering his wrist and the scars.

“One day I’m going to persuade him to sing again.” Barry mused with a half smile. “I love when he sings. This tattoo was done when he and I were still just friends, just a few weeks after I got out of Arkham for some mental help, actually.” 

Orm tilted his head, about to ask why Cisco didn’t sing anymore, when Cisco himself walked in. 

“Barry!” He said, visibly glad. “I was going to let you sleep in as long as you needed.” Barry chuckled. 

“I did sleep as long as I needed. And then I was having a nice moment with Orm.” Orm felt himself smile at this. Barry and Cisco made him feel full, content, and enough. There were so many reasons why, but earning Barry’s hard won trust was one. 

Cisco handed Orm the glass of water, pressing a hand to his face for a moment, having given Orm enough time to see and avoid if he wanted. “Feeling better then, I take it?”

“Not so overwhelmed.” Orm confirmed softly, pressing his head into Cisco’s touch before the hand withdrew.

Physical contact was still touch and go. But last night and now were personal victories. 

He drank the water, moving back a bit so Cisco could help Barry if he needed. 

“You good, Novio?” Cisco asked, and Barry laughed. 

“I’m good. My stamina recovery was boosted by the acid, but not by as much as like Creeper. Exhaustion like this happens sometimes. Now, we know.”

Humans. They could be so pragmatic.

Orm finished his water. Did his mother feel the slight constant nagging longing of the water, of breathing properly? Or was that just him?

Siobhan came back in and observed with an angry huff, and then left. Orm followed her, seeking food. 

John the hyena was in the kitchen, yipping at Jason. 

“Hey maybe either of you grow thumbs and then I won’t need to help you with the mixer!” The black and white haired man snapped at them. Orm stood there for several moments before clearing his throat. Jason, to his benefit didn’t jump.

“Yo” he said with a salute in the air, back still turned to Orm. “My electronics exploded so I’m borrowing yours, and was pressed into servitude by the hyenas-who by the way-can’t make homemade whipped cream.” He was lightly bit for his flippancy by John.

“Ouch! Watch it you striped excuse for a butler!” Jason yelped, laughing.

Orm tilted his head at the interaction a little. He decided to focus on the part he understood.

“...How did your electronics break?”

“So word to the wise, don’t go on a blind date with Livewire and then call her a smurf when she calls you Sweeney.”

“Electricity and water generally don’t mix, so, consider it heeded.”

“Yo Orm, you decent?”

Orm looked at his pants, having learned that was what that saying meant quite early on, before he came to live with Cisco and Barry.

“Yes.”

Jason turned around, and got promptly shoved out of the way by the hyenas. He walked to Orm, who resisted the urge to fold in on himself. It wasn’t that Jason intimidated him. Well, it was but it was but also Jason was incredibly protective of his fathers, and Orm wasn’t quite sure where he stood. He wasn’t in the right mood to fight anyone right now either. 

“Be good to them.” there was a death threat layered into his words. “Be good to yourself, too.” more death threats. Was Jason just on perpetual kill mode? Orm nodded once. 

“They’re more decent to me than anyone besides my living relatives have ever been.” Orm told him quietly. “I’m going to try to show just as much back, for as long as I can. You have my word.”

“Yea, good. But I also said you, too. Advice I got from my therapist I’m giving to you: Taking a couple days to take care of yourself when you need to is gonna help you take care of everyone else too.”

“..You’re all being suspiciously helpful.”

Jason raised an eyebrow and smirked. 

“It’s not trying to reform you. I think you did that a fucking long while ago. We all got our own particular issues to deal with so don’t flatter yourself. This is just..” he shrugged.

“Trying to help you live in a world that’s new to you? I don’t fuckin know. I don’t think your kingly training ever showed you how to relax and not feel guilty. That’s somethin Robin training and your upbringing have in common, I think.”

“Point taken.”

“You want food? How do smoothies sound?”

“Adequate.”

Jason paused. “Are you going to put five hour energy in it when you think I’m not looking?”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Caffeine shots”

“Then no. Absolutely not.” He didn’t like caffeine, it made him shake and feel out of control even when he was still.

“Awesome! Tim does. Little fucking shit. Going to fucking kill himself. Fuck him.” 

Orm checked to see what Jason needed, and went to the refrigerator to get the items. Kale, blueberries, strawberries, mangoes, pineapple chunks, apple juice and milk. He had almond milk, he liked it immensely. 

“I’ve heard quite a bit about Tim, but I’ve never met him.” he said as he placed the items on the counter. Jason shrugged a little.

“Tim has very little trust. I mighta been that way too, but I was put in a situation with Barry where either he stepped up or we both died. Nothing quite says ‘I’ve reformed and have no intention of being that again’ quite like saving someone his ex killed once before repeatedly and going to bat for them.”

“To bat?”

“Oh-fuck. Right. Defend the person” Jason clarified. “I made his life really fuckin hard for quite a bit and even after he learned I was the dead Robin he still treated me decent. And then Dinah shot her boss in the back of the head. I mean. After all that. You just gotta trust sometimes these people are actually being honest.”

“But Tim doesn’t trust it.”   
  
“Tim barely trusts the other Robins, man. He barely trusts Bruce, even.”

“Does anyone trust Bruce Wayne?”

“Superman trusts Bruce. And Bruce trusts Superman.”

The question of why they weren’t together then lingered on Orm’s tongue. However he didn’t say it. There was probably more to the situation than he knew. Still, didn’t mean he couldn’t think it, privately.

“You’re being fairly friendly. Did something happen-besides Livewire.”

“...Noo...Well, yes but also no. She wrecked my apartment so I’ll just borrow your kitchen. But I’ll be going all sorts of areas for the next couple of days. Cuz…”

“Red Hood got spooked?” Orm asked. He didn’t mean it badly, but it came out bluntly. Jason turned and raised an eyebrow.

“Um...was that meant as an insult?”

Orm sighed, frustrated. “I...don’t know...yet” he muttered. 

“Right okay. Um...No, not spooked. But there’s a hit on my head. For _ some _ fucking reason. I dunno. It could be anything. In my opinion if you don’t do fifteen things that should by law put you on the death penalty you’re not actually being effective.”

Orm didn’t know if this was sarcasm. Sometimes he missed that sort of thing.

He chose to ignore it.

“So then why not stay here?” He surprised himself. Surprised Jason too by the look of it.

“People don’t like messing with Barry, there’s rumors about Cisco, and…” he hesitated. “Well I certainly didn’t go small.”

Jason hesitated. “I’ll talk to Barry and Cisco first, but...thanks, dude. I know you didn’t offer that lightly.”

Depending on the definition. Orm hadn’t even thought about offering it. As far as he was concerned, however, Jason was Barry’s son, Jinx was Cisco’s daughter, and if they needed help he wasn’t just going to ignore them. Family was what you made of it. He had limited access to Arthur, Mera, Atlanna and her husband, and regretted the forced isolation and the still distant terms he had with his brother. Arthur’s world was flawed but not hopeless. And Orm had found happiness here. He was more his mother’s son than he’d allowed himself to consider.

“Family...nobody should leave a member behind. Speaking from experience.”

“You were trying not to say that thing from Stitch huh?”

“It’s a very good phrase.”

Jason snorted. Fondly, Orm half hoped. “A’ight. Okay, now food time.”

Orm retreated to another room for the duration of the blender being on. He didn’t like loud noises so much. Everything was muted underwater. Facial and vocal tones and sounds and colors. As such Atlanteans went with extra color, more noise to be heard, different ways of expressing emotion. You couldn’t see when someone was crying underwater. If people wanted to express grief in ways others could identify there were other ways. So everyone had developed higher senses of hearing, of vision. Different ways of emoting. 

Orm had been told several times by his mother this was balanced by frequent visits to the surface. Getting used to adaptation. Often just to islands to play and learn. Orm had never been allowed to take so much as a breath above the waves. Adapting as an adult wasn’t easy in the slightest. Though the textures and emoting had always been challenges for Orm, so this was feeling like taking baby steps while up to his waist in mud. He hated it. 

A blue portal opened about fifteen feet from where he was. He stared at it. Orm had limited contact with alternate versions of Cisco, the most common one who’d use the portals. It wasn’t from anyone protecting him from misunderstanding, more that he’d just never been around when any other Cisco or alternate person stopped by. They usually only bothered the Justice League, in any case. 

He’d met a Harley, once. She was as tough as her brother, maybe more so. He’d liked that Harley immediately, and immensely. 

The person who tumbled out of the portal wasn’t anyone he knew. 

The next person was, though. 

“Hyde?”

Was all he could think to ask when Manta tried to punch the cotton candy...speedster? Yes. The candy colored speedster zooming around their living room. It didn’t matter though, Black Manta was more preoccupied with the speedster than he was with Orm, though he had waved a warning finger at Orm. 

**_“Sit still you little shit-”_ ** David Hyde shouted at his adversary. 

“OoOoOoHh-tough words from a bobble-head!”

Orm decided he had quite enough when the fight nearly knocked over Harley’s urn, and went into the kitchen. 

“The fuck is going on?”

Jason asked, the smoothies quite forgotten. Orm shrugged as he filled two tall glasses with water. “Possible extra dimensional fight in the living room. I’m going to need some help. There’s a speedster.”

“Um...Bart, Quick, fuck who else…”

“If none of them wear magenta and black with light blue highlights, then somebody new.”

“Well shit.”

“Do you mind getting Cisco?” 

“On it.”

Orm walked back into the living room, and found to his distress they’d destroyed the couch and his favorite chair in the small amount of time he’d been gone. 

Taking a breath, he controlled the water, making two ropes and bringing them out of the glasses to coil around his hands. The other ends he formed into shackles. 

“No guns in the house!” Orm stated angrily. David Hyde wasn’t operating on a frequency too fast to see let alone catch, so Orm grabbed him with the shackles and pulled back, only half as hard as he wanted but still too hard as Hyde flew through the air like a rag-doll. Orm winced and caught him, quickly wrapping him in a bear hug to prevent him from moving. 

The candy blur stopped, and then started again. But he’d stopped long enough for Orm to realize he was a teen, maybe. Young man at the very least. He looked a bit like Jinx, too. The purple-pink parts of his hair the same color, the same chin, the same chalk pale skin.

Cisco came in with what he’d called a meta stabilizer-gift from another Cisco, and shot at the teen, who shouted before tumbling into the couch remains. 

“Do we  _ ever _ get a break?” Cisco asked, dropping the gun and moving to Orm. Orm shrugged. 

“Perhaps it’s just part of the territory with powers.” He suggested. “Oh, Cisco, this is Black Manta.” He took a breath. “Jason made smoothies, he,” he lifted the limp and probably shocked Hyde a little in his arms before lowering him “can have mine.”

Cisco smiled a little wryly. “Well, we probably all need to talk anyway. Do you mind, Black Manta?”

A long silence before  **_“Man, call me Hyde. Might as well. Ocean Master knows me. ‘Sides, I don’t know when in time I am, or where in the world.”_ **

“You can call me Orm, Hyde.” Orm said, as he dropped David to his feet and stepped back. “It’s only fair. Plus, I live here. It’s Gotham. January 13th. 2023. That’s Cisco. You dropped into our living room.” he paused. “Who’s he?”

David was unlatching his helmet. 

**_“Oh, the kid? A luck eating speed_ ** ster. He goes by Resonant. Little shit’s been a pain in my side for six months, I’ve been in 2036 helping an old friend with something, and Resonant, Batman Beyond and Warhawk are fucking _ ass _ holes.”

“Oh. Well. No fighting in the apartment. That’s the rule. So you and Resonant can stick around and eat. Then take it outside.”

“You...ain’t mad?”

“Very. But I’m….working on it.”

“...Noted.” 

Resonant groaned and sat up. 

“Who ever normied me is so  _ not _ schway, man!” he groused. He stood, swayed and walked forward. 

“I need to take you back to...shit…”

“It’s the past. And future from where I was. He-” David pointed at Orm “was still in prison in 2017 when I left.” 

“...Huh.”

“They offered breakfast if we agreed to a truce when in their house.”

“Why?” Resonant looked at them suspiciously, and Cisco drew in a breath. So he saw the resemblance, too. 

“...we tell that to every hero and villain passing through our doors.” Cisco commented quietly. “But you two haven’t so you wouldn’t know. So now you do.”

“Oh.”

Orm walked into the bedroom. Barry was slowly getting dressed. 

“Orm, are you okay?”

“Barlow Allen is in the living room. As an adult. Speedster.” 

Barry sat down, and Orm sat beside him. 

“Does he know where he is?”

“No. He didn’t...recognize me or Cisco.”

“...oh.”

“Black Manta was fighting him.”

“Oh that’s not good.”

“They’re eating now. Agreed to truce.”

“...Okay. I...May go back to bed for a while.”

“I’ll tell you if anything bigger happens.”   
  
“Thanks love.”

Orm smiled widely, suddenly feeling better.  _ “Love?” _

Barry lightly swatted his arm with a laugh. 

“I love you too, Barry.”

“I know, Orm. And that makes me happy.”


	2. Of Mantas and Kings and a Marius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the day isn't slowing down and Orm has to deal with Arthur now. But it's not entirely the end of the world, just yet. Mera is gone and Arthur is grieving. Mera is gone and Arthur is still king. At least they're allowing humans as viable replacements now. And Orm is trying a thing known as humor. He's also trying some of Barry's advice.

It took a bit of finangling before they could get the story, or what Resonant knew of the story. They’d called Jinx and Bart over after Hyde had left. He’d been intent on killing Arthur, and Orm had convinced him to stay in Gotham for two weeks, as all things considered he also needed to settle things with the man. 

“You took my offered technology and turned it into an amalgamation monstrosity.”

“At least I don’t look like I’m trying to become a motherfucking puffer fish.” 

“...well, Arthur can understand and communicate with the creatures of the ocean, so perhaps this is how he got through to me?”

“Was….that a joke?”

“I wanted it to be?” 

David Hyde’s eyebrows went up. 

“Shit, Orm. You have changed.” 

Orm smiled. Good. If he’d changed it was undoubtedly for the better. “Are you going to? Change, I mean.”

“The only reason you’re not dead is because I’d be outmatched. I don’t know much about them but I know those three can handle themselves in a fight. Call it a sixth sense. Also, can’t have too many places safe to recoup. Wouldn’t want to lose that so soon.” David said, pointing at him. “I still hate you and your brother. And I’m not a fish. He can’t change my mind.”

“You dress up like a humanoid manta ray. Also a bobble head.” Orm said, incredibly happy with the discovery of the mentioned toy. They were fun to watch bop around, but it meant now he was trying hard not to laugh at David’s precise choice. 

“Orm, I can still change my opinion about harming you.”

“Oh of course. Next time we meet, I expect you to try to shoot me. After the two weeks of course.”

“Didn’t agree and man I mean  _ right now _ .”

“You should agree. Because I know Shark, and he agreed to  _ not _ eating you for thievery for the two weeks.”

Hyde stared at him incredulously. “You called King Shark.”

“My Barry sold his soul to his current boyfriend and we’ve been trying to convince Shark to convince Constantine to give it back.”

David Hyde looked suddenly too tired for the conversation.

“What the  _ fuck _ Orm. Fine.”

Orm had just closed the door on him. Seemed like a good time. 

When Jinx had come by with her son and boyfriend, she’d said Hyde wasn’t there on the landing. She came into the living room, balancing a babbling red haired child on her hip, hair in a ponytail and clothes slouchy, lived in. Not her alter ego costume. She looked between them, and Orm, worried. Orm noticed the boy on their couch had sat up and leaned forward. 

“Cisco, Barry, what-”

“..Mom?”

Resonant was up in a matter of seconds, as Jinx breathed out, softly, sounding like a deflating balloon. 

“He’s from 2036.” Orm supplied helpfully. Jinx stared at the boy. Then at the giggling child on her hip. 

“...Are you Barlow?”

He bit his lip, glanced at Barry, Orm and Cisco, and then back at Jinx. “...Haven’t been called that since I was eight.”

“Ma! Maaa~” the child Barlow with Jinx patted her arm. “Doooonnn maaaa  _ maaaaaa _ ” She looked at him, fondly, sadly. 

“Do you want to play?” He nodded at her and proceeded to start jumping in her arms until she complied. Once set down he ran towards the door and the kitchen. Bart coughed. 

“Okay. Why aren’t you Barlow anymore? What’s your name?”

The kid flinched. “Shit. You’re sane here.” Bart went pale as he and Jinx looked at each other, speechless.

Cisco grimaced. “Oh. You’re from a  _ bad  _ future.” 

“I am not! I’m from the  _ only _ future!” strange lightning flickered around the boy, it smelled like ozone but reacted a bit like Jinx’s blasts. A dark violet and black lightning as he grit his teeth. Orm pulled Bart back. Perhaps the insanity mentioned had happened from this. If he was right and was from the only currently available future, then he’d have had to. Maybe? Or maybe it was later, or maybe this would prevent it.

Oh this was making his head hurt. 

“Enough.” Orm stated. “What’s your name? Only polite you tell your parents.”

“Yea but...villains too?”

Jinx slapped him. Normally Orm didn’t like the idea of violence on your child, but was this even Barlow anymore? He could barely feel like it counted. It made him feel unsettled though. 

“One, I used to be a villain! Two, They’re my adoptive dads! So yes!” She paused. “...if that’s okay, Orm?” 

He nodded. That was...a development. But not a bad one. Barlow made a face again and Jinx slapped him again.

Orm gently pulled Bart to the kitchen. “Do you need water?” he asked as he settled the speedster into a chair. “Or food? We have pizza or-Andy showed me how to prepare a very good fish and rice bowl-”

Bart shook his head. “No. Thank you, though. I just need to sit for a bit.” Orm nodded once, and waited to see if Bart would say anything else. He was about to leave when Bart did. “I was sent back in time when an apocalypse level event happened.” His eyes were focused on his son being played with by the hyenas, his voice hollow. “What if we pushed that to happen faster? I was a kid. Just a kid. I was raised alongside my  _ mom _ .”

Orm sat beside him. He let Bart talk. 

“People who know usually ask what the future is like, but I barely remember. I was born 2038. And I always intended when mom got old enough to take up the mantle, to go back. See if my efforts helped.” his hand clenched in his lap. 

“I have a sudden, horrid fear, I did  _ nothing _ .” Orm paused, and touched Bart’s shoulder. 

“You created a superhero, that’s something. Even if you didn’t do much to raise him, you’re here. You can give him what you can now.” Bart looked at him, quiet, and Orm continued. “Mother told me, she knew she’d have to go back to the water. So when my brother was born, she filled his life with as much love as she could before she was forced back.” He swallowed the bitterness. “When I was born, she knew she was expendable. And so was as loving as my father let her be.”

“Jeez I’m-”

Orm cut him off. This wasn’t about Orm’s issues and he needed to get the words out. Address his point and let Bart mull it over. 

“If she hadn’t been kind, I wouldn’t have been capable of change. At least you can  _ see _ you’ll do a good job.” Bluntly put but effective. Bart had always responded to Orm’s particular brand of comfort best.

Bart snorted laughter. “You know what? Yea! Thanks!” 

Orm smiled, nodding at Bart. “Would you like it if I gave you my mother’s number? Perhaps she can offer advice.”

“Can I hug you?” 

Orm considered it and nodded. It was okay right now. Although he’d prepared for it, it was still almost too much when Bart wrapped him in a bear hug. He weakly patted Bart’s back and waited for him to be done. 

“You’re a good guy, Orm.”

“I’m trying very hard.” He managed, voice only slightly strained. 

Bart laughed thickly. “It shows. It shows. Thank you.” 

Finally Bart let go and Orm took a deep breath, focused on centering himself. 

“Do you know what changed to cause this?” 

Bart shook his head. “I didn’t really pay attention to stuff going on as a kid. I was, you know, a kid. Towards the end mom was gone a lot and dad watched the security systems. That’s all I really remember finding weird.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, man. But thanks Orm.”

Just then, Barry came in, looking tired, and Arthur of all people followed. Arthur with two fingers gone. Arthur looking dead tired and almost ill. And Orm swallowed any fear down and far away, and bowed his head to his brother. 

“Arthur what happened?” he asked after the required time to bow was passed and he felt able to look up again. Arthur used to the behaviour had waited while leaned against the doorframe.

“Lex Luthor. Battling for the Atlantean throne, Mera betrayed me.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with that-Mera? Mera betrayed-?”

And Orm sat down, feeling suddenly like today was too much, all at once. Siobhan came to him then, and rested her head on his lap, grounding him. Barry sighed softly. 

“Arthur, I know this is big, but we  _ also _ are having a family issue and-”

“Barry, I’m not glass, and the matters of Arthur’s court do affect me. For instance. I’m still the first suspect for a coup.” Orm cut in, trying to be gentle but fraying around the edges. “But I didn’t-I haven’t so much as said hello to Mera in years. So whatever happened, I-” He lapsed into silence until his mind caught up, though it was hindered by the suddenly gnawing fear he’d be taken away from this life he’d built just when it had given him everything he’d ever secretly let himself desire. 

“You need a queen.” was blurted a few minutes later. He could...probably...help with this? Maybe? Arthur had managed to avoid courting procedures but Orm knew them fairly well.

“Ah, see about that-actually no never mind...I’m not here to quiz you, or take you back to the prisons. I’m not here to ask for help over getting hitched.” Orm rolled his eyes at the graceless comment, and Arthur grimaced. “Look. Um. I’m visiting a friend and I’m staying with them while in Gotham. Couple weeks. There’s..well...shit going down. Think you met one of the shit starters. He’s in your living room.”

“Oh.” Orm took a breath. “Was there a future Aquaman?” 

“Aqualad.” Arthur corrected as his mouth quirked into a smile slightly, sadly. “There’s a Batman as well, a Harlequin, it’s a mess. It’s why I need to talk to Lex. It’s why I’m here. I needed to make sure you and yours were alright.”

“As well as make sure I didn’t help Mera?”

“...Yea well. Mostly make sure you were okay.” 

Somehow, this made Orm feel better about the whole day. 

“Barry?” Barry looked at him from where he was picking up the toddler. “Mm?”

“Can I take Arthur for dinner? I feel he and I have things to discuss.”

He knew Barry well enough to know that when he said “sure, let me give you some money,” it was in response to being reminded Orm wasn’t glass. Barry usually first started it with “you don’t need to ask permission.” Orm wasn’t really sure whether or not this hurt or not, but he took the money and carefully put a hand on Barry’s shoulder, more terrified he’d lost him after getting him than he was about word choices.

Barry just smiled at him, tight but understanding. “You and Arthur should catch up, Orm. I’ll be...well...I’ll be here. With everyone. Sorting the land side of things with-” he stopped and waved them off, Orm clutching money.

Siobhan insisted on going with them, snarling at any passerby that offered more than a passing glance at Orm in a jacket and blue-jeans and the much burlier and more wild looking Arthur in a muscle shirt and pleather biker jeans. 

The place Orm took Arthur to was a ramen shop that served octopus with the noodles, and Orm was partial to the broth and atmosphere. It was hard to find places he  _ liked  _ eating out at, but he liked it here. And wasn’t in the mood for fish and chips. 

“Hey, not bad!” Arthur said after one bowl, glancing over at Orm for permission to order another. With the small nod from Orm he did so. “Haven’t had a good bowl of ramen in fucking ages. Oh man, I really need to show you how to make Poke, or just take you to a shop. Shit. There’s one in Hawaii, you’d love it.” Orm nodded, silently soaking in the atmosphere and quietly collecting himself from the day. 

So far, Arthur had respected his request that they didn’t talk about what had happened (beyond if Arthur’s father and their mother and Vulko were alive and well, and they were) for a bit, and just eat. While Orm had definitely needed it, he’d seen on Arthur’s face he had too, and Arthur rarely asked for help in this department unless forced into it. It was easier to disguise it as help for himself, and letting Arthur tumble headfirst into it too. 

Besides, every act of kindness to his brother was only a thank you for sparing his life and letting him live with Barry and Cisco. 

Eventually though, Arthur became quiet and drawn, and Orm leaned forward, hands clasped together and arms around his mostly done second bowl. 

“What happened, Arthur.” He asked, head tilted and voice low. “Do you need me to come before a court and swear-”

A heavy sigh interrupted him. “Nah. This was just a basic check. Mera said she acted alone, and let’s be honest, you’re good at dancing around the truth but only if you know what that is. You’re shit at real honest to god lying.” Orm’s brow furrowed, but when he thought about it, well, yes. As far as Arthur knew. All of his machinations toward becoming Oceanmaster had happened with the full knowledge that everyone around him were either scared of him or as eager to fight as he was. The excuses were just that, excuses, and didn’t need to be convincing. 

“You have never seen me lie in earnest, older brother. But I will let you have this.” Because if he let Arthur have the lie he wasn’t good at lying, Orm could skirt around being framed. “Mera was a friend when we were children, but not after. Her pity evaporated fairly quickly when I tried to kill you.” 

“Or it evaporated when you failed.” Arthur grunted, pensive. “Mera tried to become the new Oceanmaster, Orm. And I killed her.” He ran the mutilated hand over his face as he barked a sharp, angry laugh. “How the hell do you come back from that?”

Orm was very still, dragged back to memories of a much younger self, watching his mother be escorted to what he thought was her death. Of his father, resolute and dark in his fury. He didn’t mean to, but he compared it to Arthur across from him. Resolute, but with his marks of grief etching his face. 

“I don’t know. In this case, I’d ask someone who experienced that.” He said, eyes down at his food. “What are you going to do? Mourn, obviously, she was your queen, but after that…”

“Yea. I started getting offers.” Arthur ran his hand over his face again. “The King Shark running around up here being one. I don’t think he’s aware, but his dad was pushing him hard. Glad to know bisexuality is pretty chill underwater. Then Queen Scales made a proposition.”

Orm grit his teeth. “The Fishermen’s queen.” 

“I know.”

“No. If she offered, take it. Her kingdom is ensured, and in a tight familial relationship with-trust me, if she offered it’s as good as the other offer, but better. For one, it’s her asking and not a man’s father on his behalf.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow but took the advice with a small nod and wave of his hand. “I’ll take it into consideration. I’ve also been presented with the allowance to take a human consort.”

Orm tilted his head back, thinking on the gracious allowance Arthur had been offered. Unusual development, but then again, Arthur was unusual. 

“Alright. Are you here to choose a queen?”

“Nah. I’m here to take a break. My right to mourn, as you said. Checking on you too.”

Orm blinked. “So you’ve said, and thank you.” He smiled at Arthur. “I...well.”

It took Arthur a moment, but when he did, he laughed, surprised and delighted. 

“Holy shit! Really?! Nice.”

“Thanks.”

“Barry and Cisco are catches. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, Arthur. I….I want you to be happy, eventually, again. With anyone.”

“Thanks Orm.”

“...I...I want to try Marius. Actually. For a while.” Orm said, hesitantly, as Barry’s words were still in his head and really, it was time to move past what was. And help Arthur past Mera, now. He was sure he’d learn what had happened sooner rather than later, and he wanted to without so much old guilt.

“Okay. Thanks, Marius.” Arthur said after a beat, nodding. 

Orm nodded. “I may swap to something else, but Marius is what I know. And it’s a human name.” He still needed to transition mentally, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be too hard.

“Well, I can help with that. If you want.”   
  
“I...I do.”

It was a start. It was a good start. He considered and then “So Black Manta is also in town.” he started, carefully tilting his tone to teasing. “Maybe you two can try a date-”

“Oh my god. Or- _ Marius.” _

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”

“...Actually you know what. It’d be funny to see the looks on their faces if I did, at least for a bit. But Hyde has to agree.”

Orm laughed and finished his food. Maybe the middle of the day had been bad, but he’d salvaged it. 

“We can talk to him and see what he says.” Orm hedged, mentally also working on seeing himself as Marius. It didn't quite fit, but it was actually better. Maybe it'd grow on him.  


It turned out, the answer was a yes. With conditions, but yes. And Orm found that actually very funny, indeed. The bobblehead and the biker in a sort of fake dating scenario? The court wouldn't know what hit them.   


They also needed to discuss the cryptic 'Aqualad' but Orm was content to wait till Arthur was ready to stop dodging the question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ever had that moment where you know it doesn't matter but an actor in the franchise you're writing your fanfic for disgusts you so much you're put off writing for a while? yea so that's why Mera's dead. I was so angered by her actions that it has changed a large bulk of the actual plot. At least where Mera was concerned. ANYWAY. So with the rewrite finally somewhere and something I wanted, I am now finally posting the second chapter.


	3. A Matter of Savage Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lex Luthor plays god with the DNA of heroes. Orm Marius knows a secret, whose name is Jackson, and Ted talks to Marius while Terry makes a rather unwelcome appearance.

A few weeks went by, and on top of Hyde and Arthur barely holding it together long enough to not only not kill each other but also somehow come across as romantically invested, Orm got a more full story of what was going on, presented by Hyde as more and more kids started showing up from the future. 

In short, there were three Batmen. One of them had gone undercover in the Jokerz, and then had become part of the gang, for mostly unknown reasons. Terry McGinnis, and now known as Last Laugh, he was often seen with a mutated hyena man named Woof, and a half dead looking young man known as Ghoul. Ghoul was, through a bizarre twist, Barry’s grandson. Details currently unknown how it happened. 

The second Batman was Damian Wayne, half brother to Terry and the current true Batman, and mentor to said current Batman. Damian was known better as Ghost Bat, and worked with Oracle more, though he often shadowed the former Robin Beyond and current Batman Beyond. Matt McGinnis. 

In short, while these children had been long confirmed to be needed to prevent what was happening, and were embroiled in the middle of the apocalypse, some of them had still managed to come out just wrong enough that the end happened by 2060. So hundreds of teens and young adults were now coming back anywhere from 2030 to 2060 to try and fix that, or stop each other from preventing it. It was a nightmare. 

It had also been found that Lex Luthor had a secret “Legion Beyond” project, in which he’d created hundreds of children from DNA samples of hundreds of heroes and villains. It was also needed, despite it being very much illegal, to make this second generation. Barry had two children, and then Ghoul, and Ghoul’s half-sisters as grandchildren. His replacement Punchline had three children, and one villain grandchild. Superman had a son from this project as well, and they were finding more and more. 

Barry had sent a very strongly worded letter to Lex shortly after meeting one son. A son with Cisco. Both of them were pleased to meet Punk Rocket. But also incredibly upset. Cisco told Marius that this amount of ranting had only been matched one other time, and that was when Barry had found out about his alternate dimension sister and that Joker was equal opportunity based solely on the pun of their names.

This time, Barry was ranting about not seeing a good friend for three years, and then her stupid fool of a brother had done this and not only that but instead of giving him and Cisco the baby-which they would have loved and taken care of because they were good parents and grandparents fucking dammit-they’d been left in the dark and this kid had been auctioned off to a super soldier program. 

It got worse when Lena Luthor came over to try and smooth things over, and mentioned offhandedly he’d done the same to herself and her girlfriend. To which Cisco actually had to be restrained because that was just the weirdest sort of violation. Lena was Lex’s sister and hadn’t even paused to ask if this was okay-but hey I guess it is since he did the same thing with her girlfriend’s cousin and himself, right? 

And then Lex Luthor had the audacity to message Arthur about it, and Arthur gave the letter to Orm. Obviously uncomfortable but laughing a bit. 

“Did you show this to Hyde?”

“Is Lex reported missing?”

“Alright so are you going to tell him you’ve been offered a genetic testtube child as an heir?”

“Fuck no! We’re just doing as you suggested to see exactly who was with Mera and who wasn’t. I don’t want to crown Hyde, man. Or keep him down there. And maybe we coulda been friends but shit. He can’t forgive me yet and I’m not gonna make him.”

“Then I suggest either telling Barry and Cisco and letting them murder Lex, or politely telling him the answer for now is no.”

“For now?” 

“You don’t have to be entirely honest. And for all you know, it might  _ be _ forever. Jinx’s son is far too cagey about the future of Atlantis, or your Aqualad and Aqualass that have made appearances.”

Arthur looked like he needed a moment. And a barrel of beer. “Right. Okay. I’ll tell him not right now. And I’m telling my-my court I’m going to take my time.” he kept tripping over that, and Orm found it strange. He’d taken to the throne well, much like a bird to flight, and yet now with Mera gone, he’d lost much of his interest in his right. “I’m also telling them I’m making you my official diplomat.”

Marius was out of his seat before he knew what he was doing. “No. No absolutely  _ not.” _ he seethed, and tried to battle the panic. “Arthur I am the worst option. Power-power is. Don’t.” He wasn’t certain that was a test he could pass. “You’re better off asking Nanuae, or mother, or anyone else.”

“King Shark is a criminal, he’s dating a dark magician, that doesn’t look good Marius. Mom wants to live her life with dad.” The unspoken ‘she deserves that’ hung between them and Marius tried to get his head together. Quell the fear. 

“Nanuae is less dangerous than I am in the public opinion.” He managed, finally. “But Kaldur’ahm-”

_ “Who?”  _

Oh. He hadn’t meant for it to slip, and grimaced. “No one.”

“Don’t give me a load of crap, little brother. Who the fuck is Kaldur’ahm.” 

“...So I wasn’t supposed to reveal Hyde had a son.” he raised his hands as Arthur stood. “I was asked by his mother to keep it a secret, not Hyde himself. He doesn’t actually know the boy survived. She didn’t want anyone to know.”

Arthur sagged, laid low by the similarity of the situation. Several emotions flit over his face and he hung his head before looking at Marius again. 

“Who, can I ask or…”

Marius shrugged. “Upperclass noblewoman Mera and I were friends with. I suppose I could have had something with her, if Mera and I hadn’t been promised. Kaldur’ahm _ -Jackson- _ has been in Gotham a few years. It’s been a little bit since his mother’s passing. I’ve been making sure he’s alright. He knows the little birds, he’s fine. They know who he is, I told Jason to tell Dick, but whether or not Bruce knows is anyone’s guess.” he looked down. “I wasn’t going to mention, I wasn’t-”

“You got stressed and it slipped out. It’s okay. This...thanks for telling me, Marius.” Arthur took a deep breath. “You know they need to meet, right? And his dad has the right to know what happened to-”

“...I don’t know how to broach that. That’s Jackson’s right to tell him. And I don’t think Jackson wants to discuss it. At least not right now. I’ve gotten him to at least not scoff at the mention of well.” he gestured at Arthur. “A halfling on the throne does a lot for the others.” internally he winced at calling Arthur half of anything, but it illustrated his point. “And what’s happening is warming him to the thought of his father.”

Arthur gave him a glance though. “I don’t think you tried too hard to get him warmed up to the idea of Hyde before now, did you?” 

Orm just shrugged. “I’m not at all good with fathers. And I didn’t end my first encounter with Hyde well.” He’d also enjoyed being something dependable for Jackson, even if he’d carefully kept it from Barry and Cisco. A sort of jealous urge for it really. Barry and Cisco had a lot of love to give, but Orm had wanted to just have this for a while. Just him. It was selfish and wrong, and he knew that. He supposed now though, he could remedy it. 

“This is your battle.” he said quietly. “And I was wrong to not tell you.”

“Explains a lot, though.” Arthur said slowly and rolled his neck. “The Aqualad is named Andrew Hyde-Curry. I thought he was one of Lex’s amalgamations.”

“He could still be.” Marius felt the urge to helpfully supply with a slight smile. “You never know. You could ask Lex. There’s time.” His grin widened. “King’s Consort David Hyde sounds pretty good. Or King and King Arthur and David.”

“Fuck you fuck you fuck you.” Arthur paused. “If I’m the first person you told…” Marius’ smile dropped as Arthur started grinning. “How many weeks do you want to sleep on the couch for depriving your boyfriends of another kid to take care of? They seem to attract the sad teens like mother hens, and quite happily.”

“Don’t you dare-”   
  
“Oh yea. I’m telling!”

“Go to hell Arthur Curry!”

But he was laughing as well, they both were. Their relationship had shifted, and he finally finally felt like perhaps, they could be siblings. Brothers in more than title. 

When he got home with Arthur, who was bouncing from one apartment to another of a very large network of friends and was just dropping him off, Lex Luthor himself was sitting on their couch with Barry and Cisco and Lena and Clark Kent and Kara Kent crowded over him like very disappointed parents. Which they were now, just not his. For his part, he looked far, far too smug. Like a cat. A bald cat.

“What did he do now?” Arthur asked, sighing, and taking the situation in stride. The letter was still shoved in his pocket, waiting to be answered. He’d be able to answer it in person, now, if he so wished. 

“He was working with the government.” Barry said tightly. “Which we knew. For the Beyond Project, which we knew as well. But why don’t you tell Arthur and Orm why Lex. Go on. Tell them. It’s fan fucking tastic.” 

Barry looked at them and Orm saw Harlequin. “Wait till you get a load of what this son of a bitch-begging Lena’s pardon-has to say.” Barry said quietly. Lena raised a hand and shook her head. 

“Nah. Go ahead. The mother Lex and I share was the biggest icy bitch I’d ever met.” Kara looked shocked. 

“Lena! I mean, yes you’re right but you don’t have to say it!”

“Sweetheart I do absolutely have to say it.” 

“Can we get back to me, please?” Lex cut in, and Orm grabbed Arthur’s upper arm, as Arthur had started forward with an angry little growl. The brothers looked at each other before Orm looked at Lex. 

“Go on.”

“Oh good, a reasonable one.”

“Not really. I just want to make sure the reason for letting the king of Atlantis tearing you into so much chum is entirely justified.” Orm said conversationally, and Lex faltered but continued anyway.

“I realized that there is a-reasonably large community mind-a group who had a good idea with the theories of combined powers. So I began doing experiments and infiltrating the community and gaining more insight and ideas. And now I have a whole generation who can take care of the world.”

Orm saw red and only keeping Arthur under control kept him under control. He took a breath. Slow and steady but it did nothing. “Well, I’m glad we can agree Barry and Cisco make a cute couple.” He said, and felt all the anger of a tsunami inside him. “But not asking their permission and selling them to armies is not saving the world. And that amount of..blindness...is dangerous. Believe me I know. Hubris is blinding. I know. Don’t do it again without permission. Or never go near so much as a fish tank again. I don’t care. But I’m sure you do.”

He let Arthur go and stepped aside as the king stormed to the businessman and punched him in the mouth. Notably, not even Clark stopped Arthur. And Cisco had to step in front of Clark when Arthur brought up the letter. It was a momentary thing, before Clark turned away in embarrassment. As far as Lex knew, he was simply there to support “Superman’s cousin” and Lena. 

Suffice to say, Lex was told in no uncertain terms he wasn’t welcome in the flat or the club and if he tried to take any DNA samples nobody would find his body. 

“Curry are you alright?” Clark asked after Lex had been flown out of the window and dropped into a dumpster halfway across the city by an altogether too cheerful Kara. She didn’t have an evil bone in her body but she certainly didn’t mind being a little spiteful now and then. 

Arthur just gave him his signature lopsided grin. “Why the fuck wouldn’t I be? My wife tried to kill me for power, I’m in mourning. I’m fake dating a guy I killed the father of, I was just asked by a nutjob if I wanted one of his lab experiments as an heir. Why on earth wouldn’t I be fine?”

Clark grimaced and grabbed Arthur by the shoulder. “Come on. I’m getting Bruce. He can foot the bill for the pub crawl you need.”

“The fuck Clark I thought you didn’t drink.” Arthur said, surprised. 

“Nothing blows your cover like being an alien who can’t hold your booze.” Kara said as she came back inside, smiling. “Last time he nearly broke his cover was Christmas. But no worries. Me and Lena aren’t lightweights. We’ll keep you company, Arthur. Clark’s just there to be supportive. But Lena and I can pay.”

Arthur shrugged a bit. “Okay. Cool. Wanna see who can go the farthest without getting kidney damage?”

Lena grinned. “You’re on.”

They left and Marius went to Barry and Cisco. “Are you both alright?”

Cisco laughed shakily and nodded. “Whenever you get pissed like that it’s terrifying. But really really cool. It just feels like glaciers are in the room. It’s so cold.” Marius let Barry kiss his forehead, and he sat down. He began shaking with the adrenaline fading from his system. 

“That explanation…” he made a face. “Polls?”

“That’s Lex for you.” Barry said with a resigned sigh. “Always going twenty steps past ethical and then trying to paint himself as a good person. I’d met him briefly when he got Lena from her foster family in our neighborhood. Bastard then, bastard now.”

“And this can’t be changed?”

“According to every time traveller who’s met with us, no.” Cisco said quietly. “And we’ve met them now. It’d...well...it’d hurt to let them go.” Marius nodded. He’d been afraid of that. 

“Listen...I have to tell you both something. About Black Manta.”   
  
Predictably, Barry and Cisco were hurt. Which was just another reason he hadn’t felt like broaching this. Barry and Cisco also pointed out David did have the right to know. He needed to meet Jackson. 

“I know part of it was most likely that he’d been missing. But that was time travel. I don’t know how he’d be with a son, but from what little I know of him he’d be better than your father or mine.” Barry said quietly. “And if after a few meetings they don’t want to have a relationship that’s their choice.”

“I promised, and I don’t..” he pulled at his sleeves. He grimaced. “I would rather not. I wasn’t going to. Arthur wants me as a diplomat and I panicked. Or I’d have just continued not to say.”

“I’m sorry Marius, I really am, but thank goodness you panicked.” Barry said, looking pained while saying it. “However I have friends who work in family claims disputes. You don’t want to cause that, you don’t.” his chalk face paled further. “Oh my fucking-Cisco family claims disputes. I need to modify all our wills. I need to talk to Punchline. The wills, Cisco. I have to rewrite the wills.”

Cisco patted Barry as he sank fully into the couch. “I don’t get it but his least favorite sort of case has to do with infidelity or fake family claims. It involves bloodwork and family trees. And everyone lying. From what I understand.” He told a curious Marius.

“Oh.” said Marius, nodding. “So a normal royalty related family reunion, then.”

It had the desired effect and got them laughing, though it was true and not entirely funny to him. But it was funny to them and that was the important bit. 

The next several days were a whirlwind. A lot of arguing with the two Hyde men, trying to get them to see each other. David was prideful and rather ticked Marius had kept this to himself, and angered that Arthur had backed him (“For fuck’s sake David, half humans were thrown into the Trench when discovered up until the moment a halfhuman-me-became king. Thank him for not killing your kid-no offense, brother.”) though Arthur told Marius he had a feeling Hyde knew he was right, he was just grieving in his own way. 

Jackson was angry that Marius had said anything at all. In his opinion, David had lost the right. And maybe he had. 

“I have no opinion of it either way.” Marius had stated, finally, flatly. “As far as I’m concerned the promise is void. She’s gone, and he’s here. And he loved his father. I have no love for mine, and I can understand if you don’t wish to forgive him.”

Jackson shook his head angrily. “You still want me to see him. I don’t want to, okay?!”

“How is talking to  _ me _ any different?” Marius finally snapped at him. Jackson’s lips thinned. 

“Yea. You’re right. You’re both rotten bastards.” He was right but it still stung. 

“Maybe I didn’t think he’d ever come back and maybe I was fine with that.” Jackson continued after a moment. “And maybe I don’t know if I can trust him and maybe I just need time. But I don’t know and you and everyone else keep pushing at me!”

“I’m sorry.” He hesitated and finally gestured at the harbor. He came to the docks often, as did many atlanteans and halflings. He often talked to them there, or watched the ocean. “You are free to go to Atlantis or any of the kingdoms or colonies. Figure things out in your own time. Time is….softer underwater.” 

He gestured at the city. “And in Texas, I believe you have a grandmother still. We don’t mean to push you.” The nagging thought of Jackson as a step-nephew was interesting, though. But he didn’t mean to push Arthur and David together, either. Really, it was only the thought of tricking Atlantis that was actually keeping those two from killing each other, and currently Arthur trying to help David through a new and unexpected grief while going through his own. 

And Marius wanting to fix it and realizing he probably needed to let this particular piece go. For now, at least. 

He left Jackson at the docks, and later learned he’d disappeared into one of the fringe farming colonies of Atlantis. Marius convinced Arthur to let it lie for now. This would resolve itself, but it was on Jackson’s terms. 

One small matter put aside, and back to the more distressing matter of the impending future and death and-

“Ted.” Ted Blackman, aka Resonant, aka the son of Jinx. Ted, not Teddy and not Theodore, turned to him from where he was watching the sunset. The kid looked so much like Jinx, and his slow watchfulness and streetwise nature were so like her, too. But his sudden bursts of manic joy, the eating, and the jokes, were all Bart. He’d somewhat warmed up to Barry and Cisco, but not really Marius. 

“Sup, uh, Marius.”

“I’m going to the store for some art supplies, would you like to walk with me?”

Marius had fallen into wanting to do animation, but his art skills in general were sorely lacking. Slowly though, he was building a skill. It was painstaking but his progress was steady and he was proud of it. Something that was uniquely his to do, and it’s only purpose was making other people happy. A skill he liked far more than learning diplomacy, the art of subterfuge, or fighting. He was good at all of those, but drawing he actually liked. Perhaps more because he chose this himself.

“You...do art.”

“Well. I’m learning. I’m not very good but at least I’m trying.” He said, annoyed by the disbelief. “I rather like the peace of mind it affords me.”

Marius began walking and Ted caught up, glowering at him. “Okay what are you playing at?”

  
  
“...I don’t know what my future self did but I apologize for it. I doubt I’ll even have a good reason by other’s standards.” He said thoughtfully. “Submerging the whole world for losing my mother is admittedly a rather flimsy reason. And I cannot believe I can admit that now.” Progress! His therapist would be rather pleased. 

“But right now, I want to draw. And live with Barry and Cisco. Eat good food, watch movies. So whatever happens, please be aware, this” he waved a hand up and down at himself. “Was happy. And Ocean Master is miserable.”   
  
“So you think something happened to make you a villain I can’t trust.”   
  
“I know it did.”

“Hmm. You sound like Terry.”

Marius glanced at him then. “What happened? To Terry, to me?”

A long hesitation before a shaken head. “I don’t think I can tell you. Entirely. Hint? I can maybe give you a hint. Anyway. It has to do with joker venom.”

Of course it did. It always had to do with joker venom. 

When they got home, there were Robins and Nightwing and some Bats. Lots of Bats. 

“Terry?!”

Black-green hair hung over hollow blue eyes and gaunt face while long red (metal bullet casing fingernails, where had he seen that before) fingernails hung loosely at his sides. A straw haired gaunt not Barry waved as well. 

“Hey Teds. Miss us?”

Orm almost didn’t react fast enough to prevent Ted from murdering Terry McGinnis, who spread his arms and welcomed the almost murder before anyone could stop them. 

“Bastard!”

  
  
“I didn’t kill ‘em jackass so stop tellin people I did.” Terry muttered as the smile dropped from his face, and stalked away. Nightwing and Damian were sizing up Damian and Matt. Marius sat down, reminding himself these kids were supposed to happen, this was supposed to happen, this was alright. The hyena John, who generally didn't like him, licked his hand in comfort and Marius patted him on the head.

What a mess. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trust me, the next two chapters will sort every thing this one has out. Terry, the name change, all of it's getting explained. Also I love some of the one off characters in the Teen Titans show too much, and saw an opportunity here I wasn't going to further ignore. No, Aquaman and Manta don't get together, I honestly cannot see Arthur and David getting along, though David is of a slightly less awful character than the comic. Movie David Hyde I saw as having way more nuance and that's what's up here. 
> 
> The stuff Lex pulled, I just dialed up what he always usually does. Is it worse? Yes. there will be stuff about it though. 
> 
> more trio oriented stuff in chapters four and five, no worries.


	4. Leslie and Leslie and one Booster Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orm has therapy, and a day. He spends time with Punk Rocket and at the end of it all, he meets a type of destiny.

“So Ted is convinced you killed everyone from your old highschool?”

Terry flashed a feral smile at the question and shrugged. “I mean” the younger man (twenty six and Marius is beginning to see why everyone had a crush on a younger Bruce) began almost apologetically as he helped John and Siobhan in the kitchen, as something to do. “It’s not hard? For some fucking reason by the time I’d graduated only seven people in the school _weren’t_ a villain, hero, or working for a villain or hero. And I graduated two years after getting the suit.”

Marius flinched at the information. 

“That is very young.” He said, instead. Not the youngest, but ouch. “But why would you?”

“Uh...well. I threatened my ex girlfriend. And then she ended up dead. I was pretty sure it was someone in the Jokerz, after everyone who’d gotten in a conflict with em died or almost died, but…”

“It wasn’t one of them?” Marius knew the answer to this part of the story, but Terry seemed like he needed to talk.

“Well. It was Joker himself. So. I was partly right.”

Marius waited for Terry to continue, and he did, voice pitched lower. “They kidnapped the old man so I went undercover as Matches Malone’s grandson. It wasn’t hard to forge fake id and fake stories. And then I met him.” A bitter snort. 

“Saw right through me. I bet Barry and Tim can tell you, but Joker’s good at mixing people around. By the time he threw me into the vat, I wanted to jump in. Make him happy, join the family.”

Marius bit his lip but remained silent. He was sorry but that wasn’t what Terry needed. 

“And Ghoul?”

Terry turned to him and shrugged. “He was there to keep the Dee Dee’s out of trouble. They’re his half sisters. But he was raised by a ma who knew what Joker could do. And Barry. Harlequin just...you know. Kept getting sucked back, after...” Terry slammed meticulously shaped meatballs into the oven. “Maybe I did get myself mixed around but I didn’t kill anyone-or-not who Ted’s pissed about, at least.” 

Marius nodded. He’d heard much of this before, a few times actually. The younger man sighed, pulling his attention back. “But yea. I'm only here to convince Ted and Matt to knock it off. I have tried sixteen _dozen_ times to stop this. And it never does anything.” 

Marius blinked. _That_ was new information. He filed it for later, and settled on a different topic for a half-joke to ease Terry’s tension. 

“Apparently I become evil again, so perhaps this time, help me not.”

A short laugh. “Sure. I can try.” Terry didn’t sound convinced, just sarcastically amused. Either way, it did the intended job of getting him laughing. 

Marius pointed back at the living room. “Want to stop stress cooking now? It’s two am. I can watch the meatballs, the sofa-bed is made up for you.” 

Terry hesitated and shook his head. “Too jittery to sleep. But I promise I will as soon as these are done cooking.” Eyes at the floor and then at Marius. “Haven’t talked to Matt in-years. Haven’t seen him except when I’m trying to kill him. So. I need to process it.”

“It’s a very weird feeling.” Marius agreed. “But I’m sure you two will work it out.” If Arthur could forgive him and Jason somewhat forgive Bruce, and Barry, and Ryder and Creeper forgive Barry, then there were good odds Terry and Matt would be fine. 

He stood, and watched Terry simply standing there. “Will you be alright?” A silent nod in answer and he left the kitchen. Ghoul was sleeping lightly in the hall, sitting and more than likely guarding his lover and the activities in the kitchen. Marius shook his shoulder lightly and inhumanly black eyes shot open to glare at him before they softened in recognition. 

“Grandpa. Hi. Whutimmzit?” was slurred out as he woke up, and Marius bit back a smile.

It wasn’t the first time he’d been referred to as such by Ghoul and each time he felt a warm fizz of happiness. 

“Two. Your Terry has promised to go to bed after these meatballs are done. Please see to it he does so.” Marius instructed calmly. “We don’t want either of you to be so much deadweight if it comes to fighting.” 

A solemn nod and Marius wandered to the bedroom. To his surprise, Barry and Cisco were waiting up for him. No heated arguments or dramatics like he was half expecting, just quiet activities. 

Unexpected, but welcome. 

“I thought you’d be sleeping. The club-”

Barry closed his book and shrugged. “I’m too jittery to sleep.” Marius considered telling Barry Terry had said the same, but kept silent as he noticed the finger tapping on the book. Barry was at a loss to how to continue, and it generally happened when he was nervous. So Marius didn’t say anything. Beside him, Cisco was playing a game on his phone, probably to relax like Barry. 

“I would have joined you in the club,” Marius started, feeling the need to apologise yet again for not being with them, and Cisco glanced up, smiling. “We know you wanted to keep an eye on Jason with these kids. And Tim.”

“He said nothing he just tried to put caffeine in everything!” Marius said, feeling a little distressed. “When was the last time he slept?”

“Well, I mean, nightmares and whatnot. Also apparently he’s similar enough to Terry pre...uh…” Cisco coughed a little, not able to meet Barry’s eyes. 

“You can say it, Cisco. It’s fine. He was manipulated and turned into something like me and Joker and Creeper after torture like Tim.” Barry looked a little annoyed for a moment before it was replaced by a soft smile. “Want to get ready for bed and talk?” He pointed at Marius and his position in the door still. “You were doing it again, the reporting thing.” 

When he’d been young, he’d been required to end every day standing in the door of the office or bedroom of his father, reciting the things he’d learned or done. While as king people did this for him so he’d largely stopped, it had fairly quickly devolved back when he was presented with two people he associated as authority figures. 

Dr. Leland had been working with him, and when he’d mentioned it to Barry and Cisco, they’d both looked up how to help get Marius over it, help him do the small tasks set by his therapist so he could. He closed the door after a pause and stepped away from it, immediately dropping the stress he’d gained from standing there. It was always surprising to him, how trauma could cause panic from a similar setting as much as the actual scenario.

“How was the club?” He asked while getting pajamas from the dresser. They’d done this a few days after making it official, which helped immensely when his anxieties crept up on him about his role in their lives. He had a place, there was space for him, he was wanted. 

“Well, nothing weird happened. Psimon’s been threatening stopping by again, but hopefully he doesn’t for a while.” Cisco said thoughtfully. “I need a new bartender still. I’m happy for Ollie and Dinah getting their own bar, that’s big. But it’s left me without my bartender and my bouncer since their replacements are in the Iceburg Lounge, fuck Penguin. I’m not bad at bartending, I just would rather not. It’s not my skill.” 

“You could have some of the new family members fill in until you either get better replacements, or they die or go back to the future, whatever comes first.” Marius commented as he pulled the pajama shirt over his head. “It keeps them close, which Arthur was worried about, and it’s a viable reason.” he was pulling the pants up his legs when he remembered a piece of the conversation with Terry. 

“Some of them may have tried to fix this before. Have any of them mentioned that to you two?”

“Let’s not talk about any of them dying, love, first. Second we can see but it might be better to keep them out of public eye. And...no. Who mentioned it?” Cisco asked after he and Barry had glanced at each other.

“Terry’s stress cooking and ranting. It’s why I didn’t come in when you two closed for the night. He’s been repeating the same things he’s stated before, and things Matt and older Damian have, but also dropped that. I thought it was interesting.”

“...Ah.” Cisco rubbed his neck. “Well. Let’s not think about it for right now. We can ask tomorrow, but we should all get some sleep. What’s the schedule tomorrow, does anyone know, by the way?”

“I have counseling with Leslie via video chat at one fifteen. John and Siobhan have the vet for shots at the same time. After what happened last time, the vet has requested quite strongly Barry bring them this time. Jason will be trying again with Livewire, but under our supervision, at three. Bruce has requested he meets with the new Bats, I believe for dinner. I’m not sure on exact time or idea here, though as I have been strongly requested to make sure Arthur and David behave in a banquet, these may be linked.” Marius rattled off calmly as he got in bed, toes curling at the warmer feet of Cisco settling over his chillier ones, soaking in the offered heat.

“So full day.” Cisco said with a little laugh as Barry huffed. The hyenas had taken advantage of the vet last time and there'd been a small escape heist of all the animals there. The problem with super intelligent pranksters. “How’s your stuff been going with the good doctor?” 

“Well. I feel better. She’s very good at helping contextualize the anger and old traumas.”

“She should be. Heard she managed to get through to a few of the tougher nuts in Arkham. Never thought I’d see Arno able to put down Scarface for some alone time.” Cisco said. “The lost causes just respond to her.”

“I’d be one of her ‘lost causes’.” Barry admitted, head resting on the curve of Cisco’s shoulder. “And I’m grateful she could help. I’m glad she’s able to help you as well.” 

The lights were turned off, and Marius watched Cisco settle, a very pale arm wrapped around his chest. The fingers of said pale hand tapped and danced, so Marius took them in his own hand, shifting himself to better curl against Cisco and get his and Barry’s arm where it’d be more comfortable for Cisco to deal with. 

~*~

While the bed was always warm, his dream world was always cold. Always, it was cold in his dreams. Under the water and under Atlantis in the cells. Or in the Fishermen’s prisons. Shuffled around and around, but always in the most stagnant and shuttered cell. Sometimes other memories bled through, but it seemed to always come back to the years nobody had known what to do with him. 

Here, he wasn’t Marius he was Orm and phantom voices of the ones he loved mocked him from the shadowy gloom. Or, worse, it was silent. A silent dark tomb under the sea he’d been abandoned in. But unlike Barry, who jerked from his nightmares with a sharp cry, or Cisco who shook himself awake, Orm waited to be let out. 

He required rest. He would take it despite the dreams. And when the time came, his body would release him into a state of wakefulness, and he’d be reunited with more than mockeries his mind threw at him. 

Tonight though, he was in a different cell, with a being that glowed with sick light. The armor made him think of Orin, but the look was off. He called to it and there was no answer but the bowed head looked up. And when he looked at the face, he saw his own. 

~*~

“How are your partners taking the name change?” Leslie asked, and Marius shrugged. “Things have been tense in general with everything, but despite it all they’ve adapted to it well.” He paused, considering it. “Barry suggested it and he’s been the one who’s gotten used to it the fastest. Cisco is really supportive of it, too. It’s been Hyde who’s having the most trouble referring to me as Marius and not Orm.”

She nodded as he lapsed. “For him it probably hasn’t been too long. Give it time. I have a feeling Hyde will come around eventually. Now. How are things with the impending return to villainy?” He smiled thinly and shrugged. 

“None of them are telling me what makes me revert. Aside from ‘it was joker venom’ I haven’t gotten a straight answer. I can only assume it’s one of those things that either they don’t know, or meddling before caused it, so there’s a maybe vain hope that if they don’t this time then I won’t.”

“Well, don’t worry about it then. You and I both know overthinking things is something you struggle with. If this is a choice, you can’t predict what it’s going to be or what the right choice could be. So don’t.”

“But-”

“Ah ah- _Marius_.” she said with warning. 

He snorted, offering a smile with an eye-roll. “Sorry. I still struggle. I keep saying things that seem to hurt people, and I don’t know how to fix things. I need to fix them.”

“Who’s going to punish you if you don’t?”

“Me. It’s not good enough, it’s not enough. _I’m_ not enough.”

“Maybe you are. Maybe the person who can’t be perfect is enough, maybe the only thing that’s required of Marius is that he tries.”

Silence. She was right though. Orm had expectations, the name had connotations with things he couldn’t quite come to terms with. But Marius? Marius Ramone didn’t have any sort of connotation. It was just a string of two names. And while Marius as a last name made him shudder, as a first, it wasn’t bad. It didn’t hurt. 

Marius was someone he wanted to be. Someone who didn’t have to be anyone else.

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t know who I am without the crown, or the expectations. I want to, but…” he trailed off. 

“But…?” Leslie prompted gently. Marius shrugged. 

“Arthur offered me the role of diplomat between land and sea, and I don’t feel at all ready. Or capable. Obtaining as much power as I could was all I wanted for so long, to get away from my pain I equated escape with this too. I don’t...I don’t know if I want to have this as a temptation.”

“Marius, breathe, you’re panicking.” Leslie commanded calmly. “Arthur trusts you. He knows you. You’re his brother. And,” Leslie spread her hands. “Do what you do best. Take him up on the offer to prove to yourself you’re capable. You owe it to yourself to gain some form of autonomy in that aspect of your life.” 

He nodded, though still felt apprehension. Their talk though turned to other things, such as Ted playing with little Barlow, and Damian struggling with coming to terms with his adult self. They also touched on Punk Rocket, who was showing up more and more and his prickly appearances were prompting Cisco to try and help the young man how to use his powers. He had Barry’s odd genetic quirks, and much of Cisco’s base powers, though Rocket preferred channeling them through a guitar. Baby Barlow had also had his first instance of superspeed-it’d been a matter of bathtime, of all things. Somehow it’d curdled water as the baby had darted away, which had unsettled Marius. 

How do you curdle water?

The session ended and Leslie signed off with a “if the ransom of Arkham is met I may be able to see you at our usual meeting place next week.” He hoped so. He’d never really get used to the casual chaos of Gotham, but it did have its charms. Unfortunately one of those charms was Arkham Asylum being held hostage now and then. 

~*~ 

Livewire and Jason were as awkward as Marius had been led to believe. Livewire, Leslie Willis really but Livewire for the most part as “only my friends can call me Leslie and Jason, you’re on thin ice” was sitting in their living room, more interested in looking around than looking at Jason, who also suddenly seemed to have forgotten what the living room looked like. 

Marius was sitting near them, but far enough away to give them space. He was practicing hands in his sketchbook while glancing up now and then to see if either of them were going to attack the other. 

“It’s been raining a lot.” Jason started, and Livewire snorted. 

“Yea, it’s been nice for a power boost. Shit for going out normally though. Rubber boots are tacky and I’m not wearing rubber gloves so nobody gets small shocks, ew.” 

“Oh. Yea. That...sucks…”

More silence. At one point Andy began climbing through the window, took one look at the situation and turned around with a “I’ll be back later.” To Marius. 

“Would you two like coffee? Or...something?” Marius finally asked, after twenty minutes of stilted small talk and Jason floundering. They both looked at him semi-gratefully, so he decided to throw a few more bones. 

“Jason, you can show her around if you would like. Barry and Cisco’s costumes are put away, but I was cleaning my trident this morning and haven’t put it away yet. You can show it to Livewire, if you wish.”

He didn’t use it often anymore, but cleaning it of dust and grime every few weeks kept it in working condition, just in case he needed to, and he probably would soon. His father’s trident had been destroyed in the fight with Arthur, but Arthur had had some pity on him and given him a new one when he was effectively exiled. It was inferior, but adequate and despite the drop in quality he was still happy with the weapon and how it felt in his hand. 

“Man we’re not six.” She huffed, but her eyes had lit up. “But, like, Atlantean weapons and clothes can direct electric currents really well, right?”

“We are living in an environment that channels electricity into something far deadlier than on land.” He confirmed with a little smile. This was giving him an idea. Livewire wasn’t the only person here with electricity as a power, and those who lived in towns with these heroes and villains experienced more static interference. 

Perhaps he _could_ be a good diplomat. He was already considering trade ideas, and it didn’t fill him with thoughts of power, just the warm thought of a viable and needed resource being used as a good trade option, among other things to help get the two civilizations on less rocky ground. Maybe Leslie and Arthur were onto something, maybe he just needed more faith in himself. 

By the time he and Siobhan had made Jason and Livewire coffee, the two had warmed up to each other again considerably, and Jason was telling her stories about living with Barry and Cisco. She took the cup from Marius with a smile, and by the time she left, it was Leslie “might as well. You guys are alright. See you soon, Jay.” 

“You really like her.” He commented to the normally brusque man beside him, and Jason ducked his head before shrugging, fighting embarrassment. 

“She’s cool. We have a lot in common, I just-you know. I ain’t good with people.”

“Hm. Well. I think you did fine, the second time round. First impressions can be highly overrated.”

“Thanks. I think?” Jason looked at him and Marius nodded once. 

“Do me a favor and buy padlocks for the cupboards if you want to pay me back in thanks.” 

“The coffee was almost gone, wasn’t it?”  
  
“Your brother is going to kill himself.” 

“Tim’s got problems. This is why we keep him around Cass and Steph and Klarion. Klarion won’t hesitate to make him think he’s having hallucinations brought on by coffee or caffeine, Cass is a master of scaring the shit out of him, and Steph is really good at convincing anyone to do anything.”

The more he learned about this large and rather sprawling family, the more he was concerned and amused by their frankly creative solutions to taking care of each other. 

“Remind me to ask one of the magic users to spell the coffee canister to grow metallic spider legs whenever he tries to reach for it.”

“Oh, I’m not gonna remind you. I’m gonna call a friend right now to do it.”

Marius smiled. 

~*~

When David and Arthur showed up, David looking a little uncomfortable in the suit and Arthur looking only slightly more at home in his, Marius had been contemplating cancelling going with them. The familiar jittery feeling and the hatred of the constricting fabric was rearing it’s head. 

The only thing that’d kept him from cancelling was the fact he’d managed to convince Punk Rocket, currently trying out the name Peter Ramone, had been convinced to be his plus one. Peter finally agreeing to stick around and talk to his fathers and their partner for more than a few minutes at a time was huge, and Marius wasn’t squandering it. 

He didn’t like the idea of fathers much. He’d always been nervous about being one. If people said ‘I don’t really want to restart a relationship with my dad’ he’d support it. But he was finding a distress of someone hating a parent on principle without ever having met them. How could you _know_ if you’d never met them? 

There was the struggle to reconcile their right to not want to with the urge to fix a relationship that not only was broken, but was also not even truly formed. With Jackson he was struggling to respect it, even now, even though with Hyde’s reputation and disappearance it made sense and Jackson had to come to it on his own. With Peter and some of the other Beyond Project children though, it was harder. 

So when Peter had agreed Marius had felt a sense of victory. When David and Arthur came in, Peter had just finished getting ready, his usual punk attire replaced and actually seeming as natural a fit as leather. Of course, he’d mentioned he’d been working for Britain as an undercover spy, and then later defected to a villain group. Punk may be where his preferences lay, but he knew how to navigate things like this. 

“That your new kid?” Hyde asked, blinking at the ashen skinned boy checking his phone. “You didn’t mention he had leucism. I was expecting..” he waved a hand. “Honestly? Way more like Cisco.”

“Accordin t’ my nephew” Peter said, indicating Ghoul watching television, “this is just a trait we got from Barry’s many plunges int’ the acid. Family had the gene for it anyway, just went from recessive to dominant.”

“Huh.” Arthur seemed to have a moment where he wanted to ask several questions but didn’t. “Okay. Are you two ready?” Ghoul looked over with sudden interest as Peter and Marius confirmed they were ready to go. 

“Be careful. There may be some fights nearby, who knows if they’ll spill into the party.” He went back to watching television with no further comment and after a moment the group left.

“If you’re the one that fucked up half of those kids, Hyde-”

“Fuck off jackass. The one that fucked up Barry’s grandkids is currently sitting in Arkham probably thinking about Batman. For the record, Ghoul was already like that when I met him.”

“You still met him.”

“Curry, I swear to god-”

Was exchanged between Arthur and David in lowered voices just behind Peter and Marius as they walked to the car. Peter gave Marius a look and Marius rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Peter made a point to sit between the two, fairly dwarfed on either side, but they seemed to get the hint and didn’t try anything. Close to the party Marius turned around to them. 

“Remember. You’re supposed to be somewhat in love. Try to make this convincing.” 

“Yea? And what about the new kid?”

“I’m a better actor than either of you two, mate. And I’m not pretending to be anythin. I’m just statin facts. I’m Cisco’s long lost son.” Peter sniffed before grinning. “You gotta admit, it’s got some poetry to it. A pirate an a sea king.” 

David and Arthur looked at the smug kid between them and then at each other before laughing a little at the situation. 

“We’re going to be repurposed as the modern little mermaid, aren’t we?”

“Just remember my rules, ‘your highness’. Romance is only for the cameras and I leave in a few months when the mourning period is over.”

“Sure, sure. Just don’t fall for me in the meantime.”

“You’re hot, Curry, but no offence, you just don’t light my particular fire.”

Marius got a text from Peter. 

“I think the lady doth protest too much” it read. He rolled his eyes and gave the boy a warning look. Cisco’s cheeky smile answered him. 

~*~

There was a fight that bled into the party, but it was there and gone. Batman Beyond vs Last Laugh vs someone Marius didn’t know. “Well fuck. Last Laugh fuckin shot Batman in th’ neck.” Peter said with a grimace. “I know tha’s a super strong exoskeleton but it’ll leave a bruise.”

“Oh you know,” said Marius, trying to keep from looking over at Arthur. “Things happen. I hope the dinner with Bruce wasn’t intentionally missed.” However knowing the family’s relationship with their patriarch, it probably had been. "How are you doing, though, Peter?"

"Barry and Cisco are pretty supportive." The teen started, and made a face. "But b't'ween you n me, I ain't used to it. S'weird. And kinda sad? I coulda had this, but I didn't get to, and after everythin they just wanna take care of me an I don't know how to deal with it. I'm goin through wantin to hurt them or hurt Lex."

"If I can vote, please hurt Lex." Marius stated helpfully, and got the kid to smile. They'd be okay.

There was a lot of cameras in his face, Peter's face, and especially the faces of David and Arthur. Mostly over the ‘unexpected reformation’ of Ocean Master, as though this hadn’t been something that had been accepted for years, and Black Manta and Aquaman’s unexpected relationship. Granted, that last one was understandable. 

Between the interviews and small talk and dances, Marius managed to get Arthur alone, and quietly accepted the role he’d been offered. “If we weren’t at a party I’d hug you.” Arthur said gratefully. “But as it stands, thank you man, so much.”

And then there was a very annoying person in a very tacky suit who kept following Marius throughout the party. Towards the end of it and his patience, the blond engaged in conversation.

“Hi!” He said, sticking his hand out to Marius. “You’re Orm, right? The freaky crazy brother of Aquaman?”

“I’m Arthur’s half brother.” He confirmed, feeling a bit sick but shaking the hand. “And I prefer Marius, actually. Marius Ramone.”  
  


“Seriously?” The guy grinned, gaptoothed but shark like. “That’s new. That’s never happened before. That’s really new. Well _Marius Ramone,_ I’m Booster. Booster Gold.” the hand tightened around Marius’. “Hey Marius. Wanna stop the end of the world?”

Later, someone would ask if he ever considered telling Booster no. But honestly? It had never even crossed his mind to refuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leucism is a rare genetic disorder. Hair and skin can't retain melanin, but eyes and organs aren't affected, unlike someone with albinism. A lot of people have it as a recessive gene. It only comes out if your partner has a matching recessive gene for it, and even then the chances are low. Albino people have higher chances of children with Leucism. Since this is a comic book world, I just had this as Barry's reproductive genetics were altered just enough to make some recessive genes dominant.
> 
> You'll see later, but Hyde knows what it is because he's known Ghoul, who also has it.


	5. Timeline Trickery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Booster Gold and Marius help fix a timeline, but there's more to do. It sets a new path, as well. And opens up thoughts about old ones.

“You shot me in the throat!”

“Oh boo hoo Matt. I’ve worn that suit. I knew you’d be fine. Grow a pair.” 

The siblings had been arguing for several days, predictably. Marius only saw flashbacks to when he’d been in the prisons the first few weeks after the premature end to his war. The teenaged Damian stalked over, tiny in comparison to his half brothers. 

“Knock it off, both of you! Or I’ll give you a reason to squabble.” The Robin said, unconcerned with the Batman and Joker nearly ready to attempt murder again. 

“I’m sorry did you hear something? I could have sworn a teacup chihuahua was talking to me.” Terry said with a grin before hoisting Damian up to his face. “The big kids are talking, tot.”

Marius watched, bemused. This was his fourth time experiencing this. However, it was now his last. He’d fixed something he needed to, and-”

“Terry knock it off.” Said Ghoul with a sigh, awake and aware and more than a husk. “Stop baiting the pygmy unless you want his big version to yell at you, too.” Nobody remembered the silent shadow except Marius. But then, Marius had changed a very vital point of Ghoul’s life. 

~*~

When Booster had asked him if he wanted to save the world, he had three very quick thoughts. One. Booster looked like a strange conman. Two. The man was probably an idiot and three. Yes. He  _ did  _ want to save the world, he was currently happy in it. “Of course I want to. But-”

Booster had pressed a button on his belt and time had seemed to slow, with a portal opening beside them. 

“I can explain pretty much everything, but I need you to come with me really quick. Don’t worry. No matter how long we stay over there, time won’t pass here.”

“...Alright…” At this point there wasn’t really any way to back out of this, so he followed. 

“Welcome to the Vanishing Point!” Booster declared grandly, as Marius promptly leaned over the side of the railing and threw up. “That would be temporal lag, don’t worry, you get used to it.” 

When the wave of sudden feverish heat and feeling the need to crawl out of his skin and destroy his stomach passed, he wiped his mouth, straightened from where he’d clinging for dear life on the railing. Booster just laughed, grabbed him by the shoulders and led him down a hall, grandly opening a door, where Marius took in a strange...base. He’d call it a base. Technology far beyond anything he’d ever seen glowed and beeped while computer screens showed red or green flashes. 

“So this is the Vanishing Point. A hub that exists in every time, every reality, and also beyond every time and every reality. I monitor everything here. Keep things going as they should.”

“But not everything is going as it should, is it?” Marius hazarded and the guy grinned. 

“Nope! And that’s where you come in. See. For some reason I can’t actively change anything in your timeline anymore. It went whack a while ago-relatively speaking-and while I can interact with it, nothing I do affects it.” Marius blinked. A few things were making sense. 

“Terry tried to help you, didn’t he?”

“Yea.” Booster deflated. “Yea he did. And now he can’t either. Which seems to have locked his timeline permanently into Last Laugh. Which ultimately doesn’t do anything. I’ve seen that option before and it happens whether or not this timeline destroys itself. It’s just now, well, that option’s gone for this version of Terry McGinnis.”

Marius was silent, just watching Booster. “I thought this time-line was a lost cause, man. I thought it’d just-poof. You know?” The blond shook himself and grabbed at Marius who stepped back in self defense. People grabbing at him unexpectedly was still largely unwanted. 

“Okay, sorry, no touchy. But!” Booster pointed at him. “You’re an anomaly. The timeline won’t change and won’t change and then suddenly Ocean Master decides he’s got a new name? You’ve shifted things. I don’t know how but this timeline-I can save it again. All the greyed out points I could go to to shift things from annihilation have gone back to color, which means it can be altered again!”

“Just from me deciding I liked the name Marius more?”

“But that’s the thing-you’ve never done that. I don’t know what got altered to cause the chain of events but I’m so glad for it!” 

Marius stared at him. “This means that much to you?”

“Man, I’m the protector of the timelines.” Booster said grandly, and looked behind him. “Every version means something, adds something. They deserve to be preserved. And if I can, then why not?” 

“...Alright.” Marius could respect that. “What do you want me to do?”

Booster grinned. “Something easy. Do you know what the Butterfly Effect is?”

~*~

It turned out the ‘something easy’ was Ghoul. He wasn’t supposed to be this shadow, and unlike Terry there was still some chance to get him to a better self, and it’d help them in the long run. Apparently, a sane and aware Ghoul helped make things better. The goal was altering a traumatic event just enough he still became Ghoul, but didn’t devolve into the husk.

The first time he’d seen Terry, Matt and Damian fight, Ghoul had tried to get between them and calm Terry down, stabbed in the shoulder by Damian on accident for his trouble. He’d muttered something and left, with Terry breaking the teen’s jaw and following his boyfriend. This was the unaltered version. Booster had just wanted him to see what the events were so he’d know what was different next time. 

The second time was a bit different. Marius went back to when Ghoul was fourteen, and watched the traumatising event once (systematically broken by his rich father before he was passed off to his grandfather Barry, practically a vegetable) and then he thought about how to fix it. He decided on ensuring the man never showed up again in Ghoul’s or his mother’s lives. Ghoul was still given to his grandfather to raise, and he watched the scene again. 

His face and arms were covered in scars and his long hair was sheered on one side, a Glasgow smile in place of the makeup. The gentle shade was gone, and instead it as Damian who was stabbed, by Ghoul, with older Damian immediately showing up and slapping him so hard he fell over, which prompted Terry to choke the adult Damian. Marius quickly went back to the Vanishing Point.

“What did I do?”

“You got there in the middle, killed his father, and left a vacuum open for a worse guy to take his place. And I mean, valid. But this version is basically the other extreme of the spectrum, and trust me. You don’t want a reality where this version is the one that saved Terry from Joker. Barry dies in it.”

“Okay. Okay.” he paused. “You set me up on purpose!” 

“Yea. You’re not subtle so I thought it’d be good to let you do your thing and see what could happen. You have to be careful, my friend. Too much and you can completely change who they are. Too little and you can kill them. There’s always a balance, though. There’s never just two options.” The heavy moment hung between them before Booster blew a raspberry and waved his hand with a laugh. “But don’t worry! you can still change this, it’s soon enough after the first attempt.”

From what Marius was coming to understand, decisions had a window before they permanently altered a timeline. Decisions from a time traveller had a smaller window than ones made as normal, but still a window. 

The second alteration Orm tried was revealing the abuse and making it public. It ended a few weeks early, and Ghoul was placed in Arkham while Barry began working on fixing things. 

This time, Ghoul looked even more fitting of his name. Wide staring eyes, sewn shut mouth, blackened skin from fingertips to elbow, it looked like rot. He attacked Matt this time, and Terry said “thank god for guard dogs.” before he turned and kicked Terry in the stomach. Marius wasted no time going to the Vanishing Point. 

“That was too little too late. It was enough to alter him but…”

“I’d argue that-that  _ nightmare- _ was worse than the stab happy one!” Marius shouted at the blond reading a magazine, unperturbed by the events. “How do I fix this?!”

“You went in the middle and killed a man. You went towards the end and exposed him. You might be focusing on the wrong person.” Booster looked up then. “It’s a puzzle. Think about it. These are valid solutions, but they aren’t the only one. Your window is closing, but take a second. Breathe. This is about Ghoul. What can you do?”

Marius tried to focus. He closed his eyes and thought about it. The situation was fairly straightforward. Ghoul was a bedwetter, quiet and introverted, a bit of a flinching wallflower to be honest, but he’d regularly tried to leave to get to Barry, or just get away in general. He fought back when disciplined, was a smartass to his father. 

The inciting incident had been an escape attempt to see a boy from school, someone he’d been crushing on. He wasn’t allowed out to see anyone on principle and had tried a few other times. He’d been warned and still tried, this time ready to run away…

The door had been locked, and trying to get to the window had gotten him caught. 

“He needs the key to get out of the house!” Marius exclaimed with sudden clarity. “If he can run away he avoids the cellar and the torture. But he wanted to get to Barry anyway that was part of the point. More freedoms.” he turned to Booster, suddenly hesitant. 

“Right?”

“We can always find out.” 

~*~

Older Damian walked in and looked at the three fighters with something like resigned annoyance. 

“You realize I’m getting memories from him?” He pointed at the glaring child between them. “But thanks, Ghoul. And I cannot believe I’m saying that.”

“Neither can I.” Said the blond, long haired with ashen skin and black make-up. Much like the one Marius had first met. But with a witch’s hat and crop top. The other one had less villain coded attire. “Do you owe me one or am I still on thin ice?”

“Damian fixed him with such a glare he flinched. “Thin ice, then.” 

This version had stayed in the apartment to babysit young Damian, who’d gotten a broken arm but still kept trying to leave. It was the largest notable difference. 

When Marius looked out the window for a sudden strange urge that felt almost like fear, Booster was standing on the sidewalk. He gave a thumbs up before vanishing. 

The world still ended in 2060. Marius knew he’d come back. 

~*~

Terry was a different person too, less prone to anxiety induced midnight cooking sprees, but in the before timeline there’d been an argument between him, Ted, and Matt that’d sent him to the kitchens. This had carried over, as had their conversation. 

Which was how Terry found out about Marius working with Booster. 

“Booster is a selfserving flake.” He said flatly. “And I’ve gotten the impression he’s been going through anyone he can to get a specific ending. I prevented it twice but had to be sent back because I didn’t do it the way he wanted.”

This time it was stuffed shells and a lasagna. 

“This,” he waved a hand up and down “wasn’t even the original version, apparently? For awhile I stayed Batman.” he shook his head. “Then he got Ghoul, a few others-they don’t remember though, I’ve asked. But maybe I didn’t remember when they were going through. Someone always does, though. Usually the last ‘helper’ of Booster, I think... Then me again, and then I couldn’t get to Vanishing Point, couldn’t  _ see _ Booster.” 

Those bitter blue eyes settled into middle distance. “Thought he’d get Matt, next. I was convinced-oh shit the lasagne!”

“Can you tell me what you had to fix?”

“Oh thank god, no burns-hm? Okay so the greyed out or dark blue parts are things done by other people that are permanent. They can’t be altered, they’re fixed. When he shows you the time map you’ll see them. The not fixed parts are yellow or red and spawn aberrations. These only Booster can generally fight.”

He set the lasagne to the side and checked the shells. “What he does is fix time anomalies so aberrations don’t attack and devour timelines. If a timeline can’t be saved he just..you know.” Terry made an explosion sound and his hands crunched together before splaying outward. “Lets it end. People help him or the Time Corporation gets in there too, but usually, according to him, it’s been just him for a while.”

“Odd.” Marius said. He had quite a lot to think about. “Should I trust him?”

“Trust him or not, you’re an anomaly and he won’t leave you alone till you help. And if you’re talking to me, you already did something for him.”

Marius nodded thoughtfully before leaving Terry to his cooking. 

~*~

“I’d like to go back to the masked life.” He told Barry and Cisco over breakfast, and they looked at him like he’d spawned two heads, so he backtracked quickly. “I want to see what hero work could be, and I feel it keeps me on even footing with whatever I’m faced with as Arthur’s diplomat.” 

“We totally support this,” Cisco said after a minute, “but only if this is you wanting it, Marius. If you feel pressured, you know you don’t have to.”

Cisco and Barry had toed out into heroics again themselves, and while it was part of the factor, wanting to be with them, Marius had been considering it since Booster had shaken his hand and asked ‘do you want to save the world.’ So he smiled at Cisco and took their hands. “I want this. I’ve thought about this and I want this. I want to be with both of you out there, but I also really want to try to do this.”

Barry squeezed the hand holding his. “Then we’ll help.” Cisco nodded agreement, also squeezing his hand. 

“Is this to get past Ocean Master?” Cisco asked, which Marius had to shrug at. Honestly, he wasn’t sure. 

“Maybe? I think so. But I just...want to see. And I know it’s going to be hard. But I’ve got you two to keep me out of trouble.”

“We’re all doomed, then.” Barry joked with a laugh. “Okay. Okay. Sorry. No doom joking. We’ll see how this goes, though. Together.” 

Together. 

Marius liked that. 

A small part of him though, thought about how simple the way to save Ghoul had been. And Terry’s accidental locking into what he now was. There was a lot to ask Booster Gold, and among them, if perhaps a very small child named Orm Marius had a timeline that could be altered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL. SO. I've been wanting to put this particular headcanon/version of Booster Gold for years, I just didn't have a proper story or reason for why he is the way he is. And here, well. Hopefully it's clear that even though he's fairly young (and probably hasn't been doing this for too many years linearly) he's been doing it a long, long time. Are people people to him? Yes and no. I put off Barry, Cisco, and Marius' date because it dragged at this bit. So you get that next chapter, but please enjoy my version of Booster. That I've seriously wanted to put into writing since 2016


End file.
